chapter fifty six

Khair's POV

I have been in the hospital room i was kept in alone for over five hours now.

Sherri constantly checking up on me,doing what I need, helping me with things. I will always appreciate her with every chance I will get.

Ahmad was busy going to and fro from the hospital to the police station,his house and back.

And uncle Haroon,he was doing alright.

"Yes?" I said loud enough for the person knocking at the door.

A cop came in and bowed a little for me.

"Some people are here to see you. They said they're from your school." He informed.

"You can let them in." I told him and he nodded opening the door.

"Khair. Oh my God!" Stephanie exclaimed and ran to me in full speed.

I grinned as as she enveloped me in a hug.

"Stephanie." I squealed.

"How are you?" I asked her after we've retracted from the hug. I looked at her up and down cos it felt like I haven't seen her in nine years.

"I suppose to ask you that. How are you?"

"I'm very fine as you see. How did you know I was in here?" I couldn't help but ask.

"News travels fast you know. I missed you." She said hugging me again.

"I missed you too." I replied tears filling our eyes.

"Okay tear buddies, you guys forgot I'm standing here." I heard Xavier's voice.

"Who's voice is that like that of Xavier's?" I joked and he rolled his eyes.

"Duhh! it is me of course. Nobody can have the type of my alluring voice." He said with a smile.

"Oh,here comes Mr proud,working at the college of pride and proudly teaching proudness." Stephanie mocked and I laughed.

"Nice one girl." I said and we fist bumped.

"Well dear Khair, how are you?" Xavier asked totally ignoring his sister's remark.

"Good." I simply said smiling.

And silent took over.

"I can't believe my girlfriend did that to you." Xavier said after a while and I just gave him a sad smile.

"I also can't believe Maya can be able to do that you,her forever best friend." Stephanie added.

Forever best friend for where? She used her own hand and crushed the friendship.

"I know right." I answered anyway.

"But do you know what? Maya actually....." Stephanie started but stopped looking back at the cop standing by the door.

"What is he doing here?" She whispered and I chuckled.

"Security purposes you know. Not like I like it but it has to be done because Maya might be lurking anywhere." I shrugged.

The polices were always around the rooms me and uncle Haroon are kept in. For anyone to come and greet me,Ahmad permission has to be granted before they gets in. So far,it was only Ismail Yakub, the man uncle Haroon came with that came to check on us and now Stephanie and her brother.

"Yeah right." She nodded.

"So,you're saying?" I urged her to go on.

"You know Fathona right?" She asked and I nodded.

How will I forget that annoying Pakistani girl who leaked fake pic of Ahmad and I on instagram.

"She came to my house unexpectedly yesterday and pleaded with me to take her to you. She said she has a lot of confession to make to you. I told her to tell me but she said no,it was personal. I told her to go and I will call her if I get to know the hospital you're in." Stephanie narrated

"How did she know I was in the hospital?"

"Everybody knows Khair. Everybody, and I don't know how."

"That's strange." I blinked. Just how?! And about Fathona, I wonder what she will tell me.

We stayed quiet for a minute and I suddenly remembered something funny. I started laughing.

Steph and Xavier were looking at me as if I was getting mad.

"Huh,should we run?" Xavier said already taking small steps backward.

Stephanie gradually stood up from the bed and clutched her purse. It made me laugh harder.

"Okay,the doctor's attention is needed here." Stephanie said urgently and rushed to the door.

"Wait come back. Nothing is wrong with me. I just remembered something funny." I assured them catching my breath.

"Are you sure?" Xavier asked.

"Of course. Pls don't act as if you're scared of me. I'm totally fine."

They came back and sat down.

Stephanie touched my forehead.

"Stephanie, my temperature is not high." I laughed.

"Okay what made you laugh?" She asked.

"Well,when I got surgery performed on my eyes and it was time to remove the bandage,the doctor removed it and instructed the nurse to rub something on my eyes and I shouldn't open them until it dries off. When I opened my eyes, I told Ahmad and a nurse named Sherri that I couldn't see,they told me to close and open it again maybe I could see,I did it and told them I couldn't. They rushed to call the nurse and I have already made plan with the nurses and doctor about it. The nurse said she couldn't do anything about it so she called the doctor and told them I was blind. Oh my God their reactions." I finished and laughed.

"When I told the two that it was a prank,Sherri started crying that I made her have mini attack and Ahmad looked as if he will strangle my neck." I laughed and they laughed with me.

I handed them the phone Ahmad bought for me in which I caught them on camera.

They laughed just as hard as I did.

I noticed the cop giving us sarcastic look.

"We gotta get going. We have a flight to catch in the next two hours." Xavier said.

"Yeah,I almost forget. We are going to our parents for holiday." Stephanie added.

"Awwn. I will miss you two. My regards to them and Flora. You really made half of my day." I told them sincerely.

They were here for three hours,making me laugh and happy.

I walked them to the door and gave Steph one last hug before going back to the room.

Back to boredom.

I stared at the wall doing nothing. Apparently I can't use my phone or any other device because of my eyes. I will have to stay away from electronics for two months.

A whole two months.

After staying lonely for several hours reading the part of Qur'an I remembered in my mind, I slept off thinking about home.

"Khairee! Khairee! Khairee!" I heard a tiny voice calling.

"Shh! You will wake her up." Another voice whispered.

I woke up and turned to face the people talking.

"Khairee!" A boy said at my face immediately I turned.

"Oh my God Adnan. Wallahi I will smack you." A woman's voice said who I recognized to be Aunty Halima's own. Ahmad's aunt we visited at presidio heights.

Someone dragged Adnan away from my face and I got down from the bed trying to greet Aunty Halima.

"What are you doing? Lie down pls." She said pushing me back on the bed.

"You know you're not feeling fine right?" She added and sat on the bed with me.

"Aunty I'm totally fine. Is just these doctors that aren't letting me go." I said sincerely.

"Says the person who cannot stand for five minutes." Ahmad said looking at his phone and I glared at him.

"Where's Jamila?" I asked about her four years old daughter.

"See her here." The over ranting Adnan answered.

"Why are you standing there? Oya come here." I smiled at the shy girl as she walked towards me.

Jamila is calm,shy,quiet and very very beautiful just like her name and Adnan, I bet he will work as a tv show host when he grows up.

"You're getting fat jamila." I joked and she smiled.

"I told her she's getting very fat just like the elephant in her drawing book." Adnan said and the girl pouted.

"Mummy,are you hearing what ya Adnan is saying?" She said still pouting.

"Don't mind him. If we are going to Nigeria we will not take him right?" I said to her and she nodded happily.

They kept me company for couples of hours before leaving my room and going to uncle Haroon's.

"When the hell will they discharge us?" I asked Ahmad.

"In three months time." He casually answered.

"That's too close. Why not a year?" I remarked sarcastically.

He breathed out a laugh and said "in two to three days."

I raised both brows at him.

"I'm serious." He added and I breathed out in relief. I was so bored and tired of the hospital.

"Oh,I was just about to forget. Aunty Halima brought food for you two. Fetch yours then I will take the remaining to Haroon." Ahmad said bringing the basket to me.

I opened the food flask and the delicious scent hit my nostrils making my stomach remind me of hunger. I fetched a full plate of the yam porridge and picked up a bottle of tiger nut drink.

"I will go and give him now." Ahmad announced and I nodded. He left and I immediately started eating the food. It tasted just as good as it looked.

I finished everything and Ahmad came in after a while.

"Your uncle wants to see you."

"Why?"

"Why? I don't know. That's just what he told me to tell you."

"Well let's go then. I'm tired of being bored."

With that,we walked to the main hospital hand in hand.

As soon as we entered the room, uncle Haroon stared at me and glared at our entwined hands. I understand what he meant and I quickly removed my hand from Ahmad's.

"I will be going to my house now so that I will be at my workplace early tomorrow. You might not see me throughout tomorrow cos I have a lot of things to take care of." Ahmad announced and looked down feeling guilty.

It's my fault he wasn't going to his workplace for how many days now. He was always going to and fro from the hospital, to the station,to his house and back. No time for his work and now it has become too much for him. If Ahmad collapses because of stress one day,then it is me. I will forever remain grateful to him.

"Khair are you even listening to him?" Uncle Haroon shouted giving me an unbelievable look.

"Oh...I thought...sorry I wasn't listening."

"I have said too much and I'm not repeating it. How can you not be listening?" Ahmad feigned hurt.

"I'm super sorry Ahmad. I was just lost in thoughts. I'm sorry."

Okay that was a lame excuse.

"Whatever." He said and walked away.

"Oh my goodness!" Uncle Haroon yelled and I rushed to him asking him what the problem was.

"You're just standing there watching him walkaway angrily." Uncle Haroon said.

"What am I suppose to do?" I frowned.

"Lallai kin cika stupid. Follow him joor." Uncle Haroon said pushing me away from him.

"What if he is already in his car and probably driving already?"

I admit,Khair you're very stupid! My mind insulted.

"See,get out of this room and follow him now. Run if you have to,to catch up with him. Do you know that you're wasting time here? Go!" He ordered and I stood up,speed walking outside.

I heard Uncle Haroon grumpily saying "this girl is useless most times and lacks common senses."

I reached outside but couldn't find Ahmad anywhere. I sighed and went back in.

You messed up girl!

"So?" Uncle Haroon rudely asked immediately I entered the room.

"He has left."

"You see what...." He didn't get to finish his sentence when his phone rang.

He allowed it to finish ringing without picking it up. I was about to talk when the phone rang again.

"Okay why aren't you picking?" I asked cos I got annoyed by the way he was ignoring the call.

"The number has been calling since in the morning when I turned the phone on. I picked it when it rang for the first time but nobody said anything and now the person is hellbent on disturbing me." He explained.

"Why don't you pick it again? You don't know what important thing this person wants to say that's why they kept on calling you. Just now,this person has called six times. But why don't you block the number if you don't want the person to disturb you?"

"I won't block any number. If they get tired, they will stop."

Typical uncle Haroon

"And I don't understand why this person won't send a message." He added.

"You know it skips our minds sometimes. How many times have this person called?"

He checked his phone before blurting out "fifty eight"

"What? And you don't think it is important for you to pick? Oh my God uncle Haroon,you're just as useless as me." I sighed.

"I will slap that your mouth now." He threatened.

"I'm right here boy. Come and slap me." I said in a bored tone.

"Okayyy! Because you know I can't get up that's why you're misbehaving right? Put it at the front of your mind,anytime I have my strength back,I will show you uselessness." He said and I scoffed.

His surprised-shocked expression made me laugh.

"Uncle Haroon pls pick this call." I begged him.

"You can pick it if you want." He shrugged.

"I'm not allowed to look at phones."

"Even for three seconds? You're just to swipe across the screen and that won't take up to the three seconds I even said earlier."

I rolled my eyes and picked up the call at the last ring. I put it on loudspeaker but didn't say a word and waited for the person to speak first.

"See? This is how this person will keep quiet." Uncle Haroon whispered.

"Just hang up and keep the phone." He added in a whisper.

"Hello?" I blurted out and uncle Haroon looked at me in disbelief face palming himself.

"Hello?" The person who turned out to be a female answered back.

"Who's speaking?"

"Oh my God Khair!" The female said and I looked at uncle Haroon who was already looking at me.

"Huh?"

"It's me Habiba. How are you and your uncle? I have been trying to call him for the past one week but it was switched off and now that the phone is on,he is not picking up. I tried calling your phone too but it was always switched off. Hope everything is okay" Habiba ranted.

"Calm down Habiba." I laughed.

"Where is he? Is he alright?" She asked and I looked at Uncle Haroon with a mischievous smile.

"What should I tell her?" I mouthed to him and he told me he don't know.

"He's not fine. We are currently at the hospital. We...." She didn't allow me to finish my sentence.

"Subhanallah! What happened? Oh my God! Where is he? Can I talk to him?"

"Yes you can. Let me give him the phone." And I stretched my hand at him for him to collect the phone and talk to her but instead, he hung up.

"Seriously?!" I said crossing my hand over my chest.

"Seriously?!" He retorted and crossed his hand over his chest just like I did.

I huff and sat on the chair.

"I'm going to go to my room now." I said after two minutes of sitting down. I felt tired of looking at uncle Haroon.

"Safe journey." He simply said. "Think about Maya and Habiba."

"Good night grumpy." I said and went out banging the door.

I sat on the bed with different thoughts eating up my brain. First, Ahmad was upset and he wasn't picking up his phone. The last thing uncle Haroon said to me was 'think about Maya and Habiba' and that actually got me thinking.

Habiba is Maya's cousin. Maya is missing and can be using any means to kill me so maybe they joined forces with Habiba and since they're best cousins, Habiba might really help Maya. So now I'm indirectly giving Maya the opportunity to kill me through Habiba.

'Seriously?! Them being cousins doesn't mean they have same mindset and form bad gang. Maybe Habiba doesn't even know about anything Maya has done.'

Ughhh.... Too many maybes are in this situation.

Should I just ignore Habiba till I return back to Nigeria safely or what? Not everyone can be trusted nowadays.

'Don't ignore her. Just because Maya broke your trust doesn't mean Habiba should be a victim of your lack of trust. I believe Habiba is innocent.'

I later slept after thinking of talking things out with uncle Haroon the next day.

.....

I woke as early as I use to the next day. I performed ablution and prayed subhi. After the long du'a,I folded the mat and made way for myself to the bed to continue my daily mission which is sleeping.

I noticed a food basket on the bedside and I tried to think about where it came from. I shrugged and opened the small food warmers. It was Irish potatoes and egg sauce. A flask of hot tea was in the basket too. Without thinking,I served myself and dug in.

"Alhamdulillah. Never being more satisfied." I said loudly and lied down on the bed.

I jolted up almost immediately as my head hit the pillow.

"Auzubillah." I said in panic.

I just finished eating and I wanted to lie down. 'I will become obese' says my mum and it has became part of me. I can't lie down after eating.

I used the opportunity to exercise myself by walking to the main hospital.

"Ughhh!" Uncle Haroon groaned with mouth full of food as he saw me.

I ignored him and peeped on the food he was eating.

"You also received the same magical basket?" I gasped.

"Magical what?" He asked in confusion.

"I just woke up and saw this basket of delicious food beside me. I tried to think of where it could come from but I have no idea." I explained and he face palmed himself.

"Who brought food for you yesterday? Isn't it Ahmad's aunt?"

"Ohhhhhh."

"Allow me to eat something in peace." He said and focused on his food.

I muttered 'glutton' and sat on a chair. He gave me a long look before clicking his tongue and continued eating.

"Stop staring at me." Uncle Haroon warned.

"I wasn't planning to. I'm just studying the walls."

"Well,study another wall."

I rolled my eyes and turned my face away from him.

After five minutes of actually studying the wall,I got tired and planned to say 'okay how long will it take for you to finish this food?' But before I could even take a breath,a strong force held my throat.

I tried struggling for my dear life but I couldn't even breath. I shouted silently.

I chocked out a 'pls,leave me' forcefully.

What was this? Was I having a throat seizure or an asthma attack? I can't tell whether it was someone or something that is chocking me.

"Who....*inhales* are...*coughs* y...?"

"Anytime I have my strength back,I will show you uselessness." A male voice said directly behind me.

Upon recognizing the voice,my breathing stopped. Well,it re-stopped,if there was anything like that.

The hell of a grip on my neck loosened and I frantically turned to face the person I don't want to call his name.

"I will kill you Khair!" He said. Before I have a chance to scream for help,I was knocked unconscious by my new founded psychotic uncle.

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